Author: David Shama

The Gophers, who were 22-11 last season, can improve by avoiding “scoring droughts” and not “giving up easy baskets,” according to senior guard Lawrence Westbrook who was the only Minnesota player to average in double figures during 2008-09.

Gophers sophomore Devoe Joseph said he will have playing time at both point and shooting guard.

The 2010 WNBA Draft Lottery will be held in New York via conference call today starting at 1 p.m. The Lynx have two of the three positions in the lottery and the best chance of landing the number one overall selection. At 14-20, the Lynx finished with the third-worst record in the WNBA last season, behind Sacramento and New York. Because of a 2008 trade, the Lynx own New York’s first round pick in the draft next April.

The Gophers had a school record 17 penalties in last week’s win over Michigan State.  Offensive right tackle Jeff Wills had five of those penalties, including a personal foul.  Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said players and coaches scrutinize the penalties and also use officials in practice to improve game results. “We go through every single penalty that’s called against us with our team, as a team,” he said.

Gophers senior tight end Nick Tow-Arnett caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Adam Weber against Michigan State and helped replace the lost production from wide receiver Eric Decker who is out for the season because of his injured left foot.  “Nobody can replace Deck,” Tow-Arnett said.  “Just working with Web over the summer I think we kind of got comfortable where when you’re out there I know what he’s going to do.  Just having that timing and everything helps a lot.”

Tow-Arnett acknowledged that the Gophers have had problems in the past winning consecutive games against quality opponents.  “That’s one of those things if we want to take this program to the next step we gotta start putting those wins back to back,” he said. “Getting a big win and then just continuing.  We can’t have a big win and then have a let down the next week.”

Linebacker Sam Maresh, the 2008 graduate from Champlin Park High School who couldn’t compete for the Gophers last fall because of open heart surgery, is redshirting this season and contributing in practices as a scout team player.  “He’s going to be a heck of a player for us,” said Brewster.

A plus for fans who want to see Joe Mauer remain with the Twins is that his agent Ron Shapiro has a positive reputation, and years ago negotiated a deal that kept Kirby Puckett with Minnesota.

Sports memorabilia collectors take note: the Twins are having a moving sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Items in the sale include bobbleheads, publications, artwork, Metrodome signage, jerseys, clothing, memorabilia, collectables and much more.  Visit www.twinsbaseball.com.

Wild left wing Andrew Brunette was tied as of yesterday for the NHL lead with five power-play goals this season.

Former North Star Mike Modano came off the Dallas injury list earlier this week and is expected to face the Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday.

Alexandria native Matt Hemingway was recently named the United States Hockey League’s Goaltender of the Week.  The 18-year-old has a 1.92 goals against average and .943 save percentage for Cedar Rapids.

Coach Don Lucia’s Gophers hockey team plays in Madison tomorrow night and Saturday evening against Wisconsin.  During the past three seasons 12 of the 13 games have been decided by two goals or less. There have been four ties, five one-goal games and three two-goal margins. Gophers goalie Alex Kangas played both games when Minnesota swept Alaska Anchorage last weekend.  He stopped 53 of 55 shots for the weekend while allowing one goal in each game.

Eight MIAC men’s soccer players and six MIAC women’s soccer players earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District recognition.  On the men’s soccer first team are Sean Kennedy, St. Thomas midfielder; Alex Hildebrandt, Augsburg defender; Ross Hamilton, Carleton defender; Elliot Amundson, St. Thomas forward.  Second team: Mads Schmidt, Concordia goalkeeper; Marco Riboli, Concordia midfielder; Robert Carlton, Carleton defender; Tim Willis, Carleton forward.  On the women’s first team are Alison Dittmer, Gustavus defender; Erika Swenson, Concordia defender; Whitney Holman, Augsburg defender; Samantha Johnson, Concordia forward. Third team: Tess Hanson, St. Thomas defender; Kelsey Speer, Macalester defender.

Tim Brewster has been the head coach at Minnesota for three years and involved with coaching for 20 previous seasons but the Gophers preparation during practice last week for the Michigan State game was special, he told Sports Headliners yesterday.

Minnesota, playing without wide receiver Eric Decker, defeated the Spartans 42-34 at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday to end a two game Big Ten Conference losing streak.   “The story is our players and how they responded (having) for two years to lose our best player,” Brewster said.  “This was the most prepared I have seen a team in 23 years of coaching.  It’s a tremendous credit to the kids.”

Decker, the Gophers record setting receiver who will have surgery on his injured left foot later this week, will miss the last part of the season just as he did a year ago with an injured left ankle.  But the players and coaches took inspiration from losing Decker and were motivated to improve their prospects for a bowl game as they prepared last week for Michigan State, a team that had lost four games by a total of 15 points.

Among Brewster’s coaching mantras is that how a team plays on Saturdays is how it prepares during the week. “The coaching staff did a phenomenal job,” Brewster said regarding the Michigan State game.  “Jedd Fisch (offensive coordinator) did a great job.  I was thrilled with our defense.”

The Gophers improved to a 5-4 overall record and moved within one game of bowl eligibility.  The Gophers, who had been averaging 292.8 yards per game in total offense, had 505 against the Spartans.  The defense played physical, aggressive football and made timely deflections of Michigan State passes.  The defense held Michigan State to a fourth quarter field goal after the Spartans had first down on the Minnesota one yard line and an opportunity to take a 38-35 lead.

Gophers quarterback Adam Weber has been frequently criticized in recent weeks but he passed for 416 yards and five touchdowns.  “He was absolutely spectacular,” Brewster said.  “He played an extremely complete game.  He did what great players do (responding to criticism).”

The Gophers led for most of the game but when the Spartans (4-5) narrowed the margin or even went ahead as they did at the end of the third quarter (31-28), Minnesota responded.  The Gophers have come back three times in the second half to win games this season.

“This was a team that was going to find a way to win,” Brewster said.  “It’s a belief in each other.  We talk about it being a 60 minute fight.”

Joe Mauer prefers to stay with the Twins and will accept less money on his next contract to do so, but wants negotiations to begin this fall, according to a local source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mauer becomes a free agent after next season and the source said if the Twins don’t have a new contract done by January 1, 2010 it could mean losing the All-Star catcher and three time batting champion. “The Twins could be completely out (from future negotiations),” the source said.

Under baseball rules only the Twins are allowed to negotiate with Mauer until after next season.  Mauer wants to see what the Twins have to offer and may accept a seven year, $150 million deal (with potential extra compensation) to keep him with the home town team, according to the source who also said that another organization might offer 10 years, $270 million. The Twins offer could include financial incentives for winning a batting title or playing in so many games.

The figure of $270 million would make Mauer, 26, close to the highest paid player in baseball history.  Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees earns $27.5 million per year.  Mauer is finishing up a four year, $33 million contract, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

The source said Mauer and a family member returned to Minneapolis from Baltimore on Friday after meeting with agent Ron Shapiro.  That meeting is believed to have established off season negotiating strategy before Mauer heads to his winter home in Florida.

Mauer won the American League Outstanding Player Award recently in a vote by players and later this month could win the AL MVP award.  Mauer is not only near the top on any list of baseball’s best players, he’s also extraordinarily popular in Minnesota where his departure would be a mega public relations and box office problem for the Twins.

The source believes, however, that the right offer, not necessarily the highest among all teams, will keep Mauer here.  “I think it will because he really wants to stay with the Twins,” the source said.